Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Chapin, Edmund R. 1971
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Marilyn Ransom mransom311@gmail.com June 10, 2015, 7:06 pm

The Ionia Sentinel-Standard, Tuesday, July 27, 1971


Falling off a ladder as he apparently attempted to come down for his noon meal, 
proved fatal to 83-year-old Edmund Chapin of 5484 Kelsey highway, south of 
Ionia, shortly before noon Monday.

Undersheriff William Bensinger, who investigated, said the Ionia county farmer 
and barber apparently fell some 15 feel striking on his head and breaking his 
neck.  Bensinger said the Ionia county sheriff’s office was notified of the 
accident by Ionia state police, who had been alerted by a passing motorist but 
there was no state trooper nearby to make the emergency call.

Undersheriff Bensinger said Chapin was seen lying on the front lawn of his farm 
home four miles south of Ionia by Mrs. Vivian Claycomb of David highway who 
lives a short distance away.  Mrs. Claycomb stopped at the nearby farm home of 
Forest Nash and Joseph Jones, who live a short distance south on Kelsey road, 
and they went to the Chapin home.

Undersheriff Bensinger said when he arrived a few minutes later he found Chapin 
on the ground near his fallen ladder.  An attempt to restore breathing failed, 
however.

Coroner Dale Kauffman of Ionia said Chapin apparently had fallen from the 
ladder while attempting to descend, striking on his head and breaking his 
neck.  He theorized that Chapin, who was painting around the roof of the front 
porch, apparently started down the ladder to return inside the house for lunch 
about noon.  A paint brush was found beside the body.  Kauffman said the ladder 
must have moved or Chapin lost his balance while coming down.  His wife, who is 
crippled, was inside the home and did  not know of the accident until told by 
neighbors.

Coroner Kauffman said there would be no inquest.  Chapin sometimes did 
barbering and had a small shop set up at his farm home.  

He was born in Orange township, October 24, 1887, the son of David M. and Annis 
Dunsmore Chapin.  He was a lifelong resident of Orange township being born on 
the farm where he lived.

January 1, 1916, he was married to Mary Quillan in Ionia.  He was a retired 
farmer and member of LeValley United Methodist church.  As a young man he 
learned the barber trade and worked at the vocation part time.

Surviving are his wife and a daughter, Mrs. Harry Chesebrough of  Hills.

Funeral services will be on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Stone-Kauffman funeral home.  
Rev. Donald R. Fry of LeValley United Methodist church will officiate and 
interment will be at Tuttle cemetery.  A memorial has been established for 
LeValley church.  Family will be at the funeral home Tuesday and Wednesday from 
7 to 9 p.m.


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